REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES)

Project Implementation Team Finance Manager/ Disbursement Specialist

Republic of Armenia

Armenia: Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project (CAFSEP)

Grant No. 9241

Project No. 57088-001

Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): CAFSEP-S-24-3 

The Government of the Republic of Armenia (RA), represented by the Ministry of Economy (MoE) has received financing from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) and administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the “Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project” (hereinafter: CAFSEP or Project) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The proposed $3 million grant from JFPR will support Armenia to increase resilience of agricultural livelihoods and enhance food security in rural areas highly vulnerable to climate change impact. The Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project (CAFSEP) will focus on two provinces in Shirak and Tavush, where smallholder farmers face high poverty, food insecurity, and climate risks. The grant will provide the following: (i) climate-resilient energy solutions to 10 villages to reduce energy costs and generate savings for reinvestment into community-wide support for sustainable farming, (ii) livelihood support for 230 rural households through climate-resilient agriculture and income-generating projects of local communities, and (iii) institutional capacity strengthening for the Ministry of Economy (MOE) to support climate adaptation planning and develop climate-responsive investment projects in the agricultural sector and preparation of feasibility studies of two agro-logistic hubs.

The project is aligned with the following impact: sustainable agriculture productivity improved and rural poverty reduced. The project outcome will be climate-adaptive capacity of selected project municipalities and households increased. The project has three outputs: (i) climate-resilient energy solutions established and further enabled, (ii) climate-smart technologies for food security enhancement implemented, and (iii) capacity of the Ministry of Economy (MOE) for climate-smart agricultural planning enhanced.

The Project Implementation Team (PIT) under the RA Ministry of Economy (MOE) is the executing agency (EA) for the project, including ensuring its compliance with main activities envisaged under the Project design. The Project Implementation Finance Manager/ Disbursement Specialist (hereinafter the PIT Finance Manager/ Disbursement Specialist) will be working as a Consultant under Agriculture Programms Implementation Department (APID) of MOE and should primarily report to the PIT Director.

The objective of the assignment is to ensure that an adequate financial management system is in place for the implementation of the Project. The PIT Finance Manager/ Disbursement Specialist’s work will be guided by the JFPR Grant Agreement (GA), Grant Assistance Report (GAR) and Project Administrative Manual (PAM) for CAFSEP.  

The PIT Finance Manager/ Disbursement Specialist shall be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Responsible for financing, funds flow arrangements, payments, and monitoring of the advance account; managing procedures for the advance account and SOE procedures;
2. Establish account(s) to manage and record utilization of project funds;
3. Prepare withdrawal applications, statements of expenditures, and disbursement requests for replenishment of the advance account in accordance with provisions in ADB Loan Disbursement Handbook;
4. Maintain an information on ADB disbursement guidelines, and other resources needed by staff in carrying out disbursements, advance account operation, SOE procedures;
5. Support procurement specialists to negotiate and prepare standard bidding packages and specifications to evaluate, enter into contracts, oversee delivery, issue invoices, inspect/test procured items, and make payments to suppliers/contractors
6. Maintain payment records of all invoices received;
7. Coordinate with the PIT Director to develop and implement payment mechanisms and procedures to support purchases of goods, technical assistance, and construction services;
8. Communicate through the PIT Director information and/or documentation to the Government or ADB for their inspection, obtaining comments and/or for commencement of funding;
9. Ensure timely preparation of the annual audited project financial statements and submission to ADB within 6 months of financial year end;
10. Ensure that payments for all project related expenditures are made in a timely manner;
11. Ensure that adequate financial controls for fund management and reporting; and Perform other related functions, duties, and tasks as may be requested by PIT Director.

The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia now invites individual consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The required essential qualifications are:

• Higher education in finance, accounting, business administration, or economics;
• At least five years of experience in finance and accounting.
• Excellent knowledge of Armenian tax and accounting legislation demonstrated by relevant qualification, diploma, certificate, etc.; knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards;
• Working experience in the public sector (working experience in/with governmental bodies)
• Knowledge and working experience with the Asian Development Bank guidelines, handbooks and procedures relating to disbursement and financial management
• Excellent command of written and spoken Armenian, good knowledge of English;
• Good interpersonal skills, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

The assignment would be carried out throughout the whole duration of the Project, from 2024 to 2026 inclusive.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection of Individual Consultant method (IC) set out in the ADB’s Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time: ADB Procurement Policy)  and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from time to time: Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers).

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 10:00 to 17:00 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (by e-mail, by mail, or in person with digital copies of the Expression of Interest) by 17:00 local time, September 06, 2024.

Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia

Attn: Ms. Lusine Ananyan, Head of International Programs Coordination Division of the Agricultural Programs Implementation Department of the Ministry of Economy of RA

5, Mher Mkrtchyan Str., Yerevan 0010, Armenia

Tel:  +(374)-11-54-25-03

E-mail: luananyan@mineconomy.am